smoother than a storm
by Little Miss Dewitt
Summary: "give me one good reason why i should not gut you right now." —blackx, greek mythology au, drabble.


**disclaimer:** see my profile page.  
><strong>title:<strong> smoother than a storm**  
>summary:<strong> "give me one good reason why i should not gut you right now." —blackx, greek mythology au, drabble.  
><strong>word count:<strong> 786

**a/n:  
><strong>so. hey. i guess i'm back.  
>for those who don't know, i used to be <em>souffles in space<em> on this website and i...kinda abandoned this place for a really long time (the last time i update on my old account was 2013 — whoops). looking back, some of the stuff i published on that account was kinda embarrassing, but i missed writing fanfiction and posting it here, so i just decided to make a brand new account. a clean slate!  
>this is a pretty old drabble which i published on my roleplay tumblr about 7 months ago (whelp), but i like it so i've decided that this'll be the first thing i post on this account.<br>title is from _yellow flicker beat_ by lorde because i'm a dweeb.

**prompt:** "blackx drabble based on greek mythology?" (from blazin-b on tumblr)

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><p>.<p>

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The point of the dagger was pressed to the intruder's neck; the slightest pressure would have been enough to render him lifeless. If the thief realised this — if he felt afraid — his arrogant smile betrayed nothing.

This brought a snarl to the guard's lips. She pressed her face closer to his, gripping his wrists against the wall of the vault with her other hand.

"Give me one good reason why I should not gut you right now."

A sigh. "Is that any way to start a conversation? I know that you've been trapped here a long time, but that's no adequate excuse." There was no hesitation. The mortal spoke to her as easily as he would one of his own, his muscles lax as if his life were not at stake. That infuriating smile continued to play on his lips. "Here, follow my lead. _Hello, my name is Iason. What's yours?_"

The guard merely returned his smile with one of her own, though hers was thin and sharp. "Death it is, then."

"You'd like a reason?" He lifted his head, arching his neck — baring it as a dare. "I'm still alive aren't I? If you wanted me dead, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

The guard paused, narrowed her eyes (an intense indigo shade Iason had never seen in the eyes of anyone else). She pulled the poignard away from his throat, spinning it in her hand. "Why try to steal this? Only an exceptionally arrogant mortal would think himself capable."

The thief barked a laugh. "Why not? Who _wouldn't_ covet Eris' dagger? Perhaps to sell it, though keeping it as a trophy is tempting. But we both know that's not the real question." He leaned forward, straining slightly against her hold so that their noses were virtually touching. "Why are _you_ guarding it?"

The thief's controlled cadence and insolent questioning grated against her. She could easily recall a time when she would have insignificant beings like him begging at her sword for mercy. When had she ceased to intimidate? The guard tightened her grip on his wrists for good measure; she could easily crush the bones there.

"I am Eris' ward," she sneered. "I am a _warrior_, and I will not be scrutinised by a _mortal_."

"But here you are, pacing in front of her vault."

The poignard was at his neck again. "And what business is it of yours?"

Another laugh. "You're right — I _am_ a mortal. But it wasn't luck which got me so close to that lovely dagger, was it? I'm good at going unnoticed, beautiful. Getting into places others can't. Hearing things I shouldn't." Iason tipped his head. "You were taken in by Eris as a child. You were offered immortality and strength — and opportunity to cause trouble. Am I wrong?"

The blade drew a bead of blood. "Be quiet."

"She promised you battle. Discord. What do you get? An eternity of watching over her possessions. Not exactly a task fitting for a warrior like yourself."

"I _said_ —"

"And now you're engaged to her son. Which one is it again? Limos? Horkos? Truth be told, neither sound very appealing, but I doubt she asked your opinion on the matter."

"_Quiet!_"

"That's why I'm still alive, isn't it? You're bored. Restless. Mortal or not, I'm the first person to challenge you in…what is it, a hundred years? A thousand?"

The dagger was still.

"You could walk away from this, you know. What's going to stop you?" Iason shrugged (as much as was physically possible in his current position). "Well. Perhaps Eris. But will you let her stand in your way after tucking you out of sight all these years?"

The seconds crawled by as the guard surveyed the thief, whose angular face rippled in the flickering torch light. His eyes never wavered from hers; not a single tremor of fear rocked his body. Adders hissed about their feet, but Iason was stone.

She released him. He landed awkwardly on his hands and knees. His maddening smirk was gone, replaced by a self-satisfied and oddly endearing grin as he pushed himself to his feet and brushed dust from his legs.

"Alright. Let's try this again." Iason inclined himself at the waist. "Hello, my name is Iason. And yours is…?"

She did not bow back, her entire posture exuding pride. "Kallistrate," she answered, her tone guarded even as curiosity flashed in her eyes. The boy's words were true — Eris' promises of freedom and power had only resulted in shackles.

And evidently, Iason was no ordinary human.

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><p><strong>an:  
><strong>names were changed to sound ancient-greek.  
>"kallistrate" means "beautiful army".<br>"iason" is the original form of "jason" (i still believe red x is jason todd, fight me). i think so, anyway. please correct me if i'm wrong.


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